Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, a color processing device a control unit and a black ink control unit. The control unit controls quantity of total ink used for outputting an image by an output device, and the quantity of total ink is decided based on quantity of black ink of a input signal. The black ink control unit controls quantity of black ink used for outputting the image by the output device. The quantity of total ink includes the quantity of black ink used for outputting the image by the output device.

Abstract: In a set of non-reference gamma characteristics corresponding to a density adjustment value, a first region has first characteristics for converting input values to the maximum output value. A second region has second characteristics for converting input values to the minimum output value. A third region defined between the first and second regions has third characteristics for converting input values to intermediate output values. The third characteristics defines a monotonous curve that changes monotonously with respect to change in the amount of the input value. The amount of at least one of the first region and the second region is different from the amount of the corresponding at least one of the first reference region and the second reference region of the reference gamma characteristics by a degree dependent on each density adjustment value.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for producing a validated print-out. The method includes creating a modified virtual image which includes the data from the original virtual image and a virtual original series of color patches representative of a color gamut. A printed series of the color patches representative of the color gamut using a spectrophotometer to provide a spectrophotometer output is scanned. The spectrophotometer output is analyzed using the processor to compare the output to an admissible range stored in a memory. If the output is within the admissible range, the print-out of the modified virtual image is validated. If the output is outside of the admissible range, the print-out of the modified virtual image is either validated after an analysis of the position of the data points of the modified virtual image in relation to an admissible color gamut, or the modified virtual image is changed.

Abstract: A device including: an acquirer acquiring image data having an M-value (M?3) pixel value; a memory storing nozzle information; another memory storing error diffusion matrices having different diffusion ratios of an error; a selector selecting specific pixel data in the image data; an N-value converter converting the M-value to an N value (M>N?2); a diffuser diffusing the error to pixel data not subjected to the conversion in the image data according to the error diffusion matrix by using a difference between a selected pixel data value before and after conversion as the error; a generator generating print data defining nozzle dot information corresponding to the image data after the conversion; and a printer. The diffuser selects a specific error diffusion matrix for each selected pixel data according to the nozzle information, and diffuses the error to the pixel data not subjected to the conversion.

Abstract: An image processor includes: memory storing data including pixel values; memory storing dither matrixes corresponding to dot size and having cells with individual threshold values; a generator generating quantized data including dots corresponding to cells by comparing the data with a dither matrix, and showing that a given sized dot is formed; a calculator calculating a duty ratio of first sized dots to second sized dots based on quantized data; a determining unit determining whether the duty ratio satisfies a predetermined condition; and a threshold updater updating the dither matrixes if the condition is satisfied, at least one update being based on duty ratio; the threshold values being to: form larger dots around the dither matrix center; decrease dot size as a distance between a cell and the dither matrix center increases; and decrease dot density as the distance between a cell and the dither matrix center increases.